The X.VILIJORD ZERO PRO is Portuguese helmet maker NEXX’s premier modular helmet designed to bridge the on-road/off-road gap. The ‘PRO’ part of its name refers to the shell (available in three sizes) which is manufactured from carbon fibre, a material renowned for its strength and lightweight. Dare I say it looks super trick too.
Modular helmets have grown massively in popularity in recent years due to their tremendous versatility. Having said that, one must bear in mind that no matter how well-designed a modular helmet is, it will never have quite the structural integrity of a one-piece helmet, however, recent tests have shown that the safety rating of high-end modular helmets are getting closer to full-face helmets (the X.VILIJORD ZERO PRO is double homologated for Full Face and Jet (P/J) – which means it meets CE Standards).
Touring and Adventure riders spend more time at a relaxed pace and are prepared to sacrifice a smidge of protection for the wide range of talents offered by modular lids.
NEXX’s premier offering has a lot going for it, jam-packed with features to make it appealing to riders shopping for a modular helmet. The materials and construction are hard to fault. Hinges and catches are a combination of stainless steel and aluminium.
Padding and lining have been thoughtfully designed and fitted, with additional custom pads (that come standard with the helmet), allowing owners to custom-fit the helmet to conform to their head shape.
Lining and padding are removable for washing and are made of a soft and comfortable material that dries quicker than cotton. The beauty of a carbon helmet is not only its lightweight but the finish which does not easily show finger marks and scratches. At 1650 grams the X.VILIJORD ZERO PRO is lighter than most of its peers.
With the ability to open the front of the helmet, it makes for easy fitment. A central release button on the leading edge of the face section allows easy single-handed raising of the front section. The strap opens the helmet and widens the neck roll padding so that when the helmet is secured it causes the neck roll to sit snugly against your neck. The front section has a padded chin curtain which completes the process of keeping the helmet quiet as well as eliminating drafts.
The visor is pin-lock compatible and has four settings which stay put once selected, allowing you to regulate airflow as you please. In the fully closed position, the screen has a nubbin on the front which subtly locks the visor snugly against its double-edged seal. Nexx have really gone all out to keep you snug and reduce wind noise. The visor is robust and does not distort at all. There is a flip-down dark visor which is operated by a sliding tab on the left-hand side of the helmet, which I found easy to locate and operate even with a gloved hand. As with the main visor, there is no distortion at all.
The neck strap secures by way of a sliding latch as opposed to the familiar double D-ring system. It engages and disengages seamlessly. The X.VILIJORD ZERO PRO has built-in recesses covered by removable plates to accommodate their NEXX X COM 2 Bluetooth system and batteries. Other systems can work with a little modification.
There is also a place for an action camera to be mounted on top of the helmet, as well as on the right side. Vloggers will love this versatility.
The adventure peak works really well and comes with an easy-to-fit extender. I found the extender dropped into my line of vision and moved slightly at speed. This was distracting so I whipped it off and found the normal visor excellent. The helmet is extremely stable in the airstream, making for easy high-speed riding.
The helmet has a chin vent as well as a forehead vent, both of which flow through to two outlets towards the back of the helmet. Ventilation vents operate smoothly and feel robust and solid.
I found that the helmet seals so well that despite the vents it can feel a little stifling when you are at a standstill. This is easily remedied by opening the visor a tad or if it is really hot just flip up the front section. The helmet is reasonably quiet thanks to the snug fit.
To sum up. The NEXX X.VILIJORD ZERO PRO helmet is a quality modular helmet with all the bells and whistles that you can think of. It is lighter than its peers and the overall fit and finish are excellent. It is obvious that a lot of thought went into its design. At a recommended retail price of R11,895, it compares very favourably with its premier quality peers. If you are in the market for a new modular helmet then it should be on your shopping list.
NEXX X.VILIJORD ZERO PRO
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